EEG emotion recognition based on data-driven signal auto-segmentation and feature fusion.

Pattern recognition based on network connections has recently been applied to the brain-computer interface (BCI) research, offering new ideas for emotion recognition using Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal. However unified standards are currently lacking for selecting emotional signals in emotion recognition research, and potential associations between activation differences in brain regions and network connectivity pattern are often being overlooked. To bridge this technical gap, a data-driven signal auto-segmentation and feature fusion algorithm (DASF) is proposed in this paper. First, the Phase Locking Value (PLV) method was used to construct the brain functional adjacency matrix of each subject, and the dynamic brain functional network across subjects was then constructed. Next, tucker decomposition was performed and the Grassmann distance of the connectivity submatrix was calculated. Subsequently, different brain network states were distinguished and signal segments under emotional states were automatically extract using data-driven methods. Then, tensor sparse representation was adopted on the intercepted EEG signals to effectively extract functional connections under different emotional states. Finally, power-distribution related features (differential entropy and energy feature) and brain functional connection features were effectively combined for classification using the support vector machines (SVM) classifier. The proposed method was validated on ERN and DEAP datasets. The single-feature emotion classification accuracy of 86.57 % and 87.74 % were achieved on valence and arousal dimensions, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed feature fusion method was achieved at 89.14 % and 89.65 %, accordingly, demonstrating an improvement in emotion recognition accuracy. The results demonstrated the superior classification performance of the proposed data-driven signal auto-segmentation and feature fusion algorithm in emotion recognition compared to state-of-the-art classification methods.

Molecular-Level Zn-Ion Transfer Pump Specifically Functioning on (002) Facets Enables Durable Zn Anodes.

The modification of metallic Zn anode contributes to solving the cycling issue of Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) by restraining the dendrite growth and side reactions. In this regard, modulating (002) Zn is an effective way to prolong the lifespan of ZIBs with a parallel arrangement of Zn deposition. Herein, the authors propose to add trace amounts of Zn(BF4 )2 additive in 3 M ZnSO4 to promote in-plane Zn deposition by forming a BF4 - -[Zn(H2 O)6 ]2+ -[Zn(BF4 )3 ]- transfer process and specifically functioning on (002) facets. In this way, the optimized electrolyte highly boosts the cycling stability of Zn anodes with a long lifespan at 34.2% Zn utilization (500 h/10 mA cm-2 ) and 51.3% Zn utilization (360 h/10 mA cm-2 ; 834 h/1 mA cm-2 ). Moreover, the electroplated Zn on Cu substrate exhibits a competitive cumulative plating capacity (CPC) of 2.87 Ah cm-2 under harsh conditions. The assembled Zn|(NH4 )2 V6 O16 ·3H2 O full cells with a high cathode loading of 29.12 mg cm-2 also realizes almost no capacity degradation even after 2000 cycles at 2 A g-1 . With this cost-effective strategy, it is promising to push the development of aqueous ZIBs as well as provide inspiration for metal anode optimization in other energy storage systems.

A two-dimensional conductive polymer/V2O5 composite with rapid zinc-ion storage kinetics for high-power aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Vanadium oxides represent a promising cathode material for aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) owing to their abundant valences and versatile cation-storage capacities. However, the sluggish Zn2+ diffusion kinetics in the V2O5 framework and poor intrinsic conductivity result in inferior rate capability and unsatisfactory cycling performance of the V2O5 cathode, and thus limits its commercial-scale deployment. Herein, a unique conducting polymer intercalation strategy is developed to optimize the ion/electron transport simultaneously based on the rational design of the composite structure and morphology. The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) intercalated V2O5 not only remarkably enlarges the interlayer distance for facile Zn2+ diffusion, but also diminishes the electron transport resistance by the π-conjugated structure of PEDOT. Additionally, the two-dimensional (2D) morphology enables shorter ion diffusion paths as well as a larger number of exposed sites for Zn2+ insertion. As a result, the PEDOT-intercalated V2O5 (PEDOT/V2O5) exhibits a good high-rate performance (154 mA h g-1 at an ultrahigh current density of 50 A g-1) and a long-term cycling life (maintains 170 mA h g-1 even after 2500 cycles at 30 A g-1). This universal strategy provides a design principle for constructing efficient Zn2+ and electron transport pathways within cathode materials, holding great potential for the development of high-performance and durable ZIB cathodes.

Puffing ultrathin oxides with nonlayered structures.

Two-dimensional (2D) oxides have unique electrical, optical, magnetic, and catalytic properties, which are promising for a wide range of applications in different fields. However, it is difficult to fabricate most oxides as 2D materials unless they have a layered structure. Here, we present a facile strategy for the synthesis of ultrathin oxide nanosheets using a self-formed sacrificial template of carbon layers by taking advantage of the Maillard reaction and violent redox reaction between glucose and ammonium nitrate. To date, 36 large-area ultrathin oxides (with thickness ranging from ~1.5 to ~4 nm) have been fabricated using this method, including rare-earth oxides, transition metal oxides, III-main group oxides, II-main group oxides, complex perovskite oxides, and high-entropy oxides. In particular, the as-obtained perovskite oxides exhibit great electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline solution. This facile, universal, and scalable strategy provides opportunities to study the properties and applications of atomically thin oxide nanomaterials.

Regulating Interfacial Desolvation and Deposition Kinetics Enables Durable Zn Anodes with Ultrahigh Utilization of 80.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) represent a promising technology for large-scale energy storage due to their high capacity, intrinsic safety and low cost. However, Zn anodes suffer from poor reversibility and cycling stability caused by the side-reactions and dendrite issues, which limit the Zn utilization in the ZIBs. Herein, to improve the durability of Zn under high utilization, an aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) interphase is presented. The AZO interphase inhibits side reactions by isolating active Zn from the bulk electrolyte, and enables facile and uniform Zn deposition kinetics by accelerating the desolvation of hydrated Zn2+ and homogenizing the electric field distribution. Accordingly, the AZO-coated Zn (AZO@Zn) anode exhibits a long lifespan of 600 h with Zn utilization of 34.1% at the current density of 10 mA cm-2 . Notably, even under ultrahigh Zn utilization of 80%, the AZO@Zn remains stable cycling over 200 h. Meanwhile, the V2 O5 /AZO@Zn full cell with limited Zn excess displays high capacity retention of 86.8% over 500 cycles at 2 A g-1 . This work provides a simple and efficient strategy to ensure the reversibility and durability of Zn anodes under high utilization conditions, holding a great promise for commercially available ZIBs with competitive energy density.

Efficacy and Safety of Xiao Ai Ping Injection Combined with Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Xiao Ai Ping injection (XAPI), extracted from the Chinese herbal medicine Marsdenia tenacissima, is widely used in the adjuvant treatment of tumors in China. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of XAPI combined with chemotherapy for treating patients with advanced gastric cancer. Seven databases were searched for relevant studies published up to October 1, 2018, and Review Manager 5.3 software and Stata 12.0 software were used for meta-analysis. Fourteen studies, representing 1097 enrolled patients, were included in our analysis. Compared with chemotherapy alone, combination treatment with XAPI and the XELOX regimen (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) was found to improve the objective response rate (ORR) [RR=1.36; 95%CI (1.10, 1.70); P=0.006], disease control rate (DCR) [RR=1.15; 95% CI (1.04, 1.28); P=0.010], and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) improvement rate [RR=1.51; 95%CI (1.14, 2.00); P=0.004] and to reduce the incidence of leukopenia [RR=0.68; 95%CI (0.55,0.84); P=0.0005], liver damage [RR=0.59; 95% CI (0.37, 0.92); P=0.02], renal impairment [RR=0.39; 95% CI (0.18, 0.85); P=0.02], and hand-foot syndrome [RR=0.56; 95%CI (0.35,0.90); P=0.02]. However, median progression-free survival (PFS), 1-year survival rate, and median overall survival (OS) were not extended by XAPI plus XELOX. Combination treatment with XAPI and the SOX regimen (tegafur plus oxaliplatin) did not improve ORR or DCR, but it did enhance the KPS improvement rate [RR=1.73; 95%CI (1.23,2.43); P=0.002] and reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting [RR=0.66; 95% CI (0.50, 0.88); P=0.004]. XAPI in combination with the FOLFOX regimen (fluorouracil/calcium folinate/oxaliplatin) enhanced only the KPS improvement rate [RR=1.68; 95%CI (1.18,2.39); P=0.004] and had no significant effect on ORR or DCR or the incidence of adverse events. A single study reported that XAPI combined with the CPT-11 regimen (irinotecan) was superior to chemotherapy alone with respect to DCR and also reduced the incidence of leukopenia, liver damage, and hand-foot syndrome during chemotherapy, while prolonging PFS. Finally, one study reported that XAPI combined with the TP regimen (palitaxel plus cisplatin) improved ORR and KPS improvement rate to a greater extent than TP alone. Although the present review has some limitations, the findings suggest that XAPI combined with chemotherapy may represent a beneficial treatment strategy, particularly the combination of XAPI and XELOX.

Synthesis of Diverse Green Carbon Nanomaterials through Fully Utilizing Biomass Carbon Source Assisted by KOH.

With multiple properties, green carbon nanomaterials with high specific surface area have become extensively attractive as energy storage devices with environmental-friendly features. The primary synthesis attempts were based on alkalis activation, which, however, faced the dilemma of low utilization rate of carbon sources. Herein, the green carbon with ultrahigh surface area (up to 3560 m2/g) was prepared by the KOH-assisted biomass carbonization. Moreover, the redundant K2O steam and CxHy flow were further utilized; as a result, the carbon materials with a wide range of morphological diversity were collected on the Cu foam. Accordingly, we carried out density functional theory simulations to reveal the mechanism of O-adatom-promoted CH4 dissociation over the Cu surface for carbon formation. The electrodes of electrochemical capacitor fabricated by carbon synthesis possess a 170% higher specific capacitance compared with commercial carbon electrodes. As such, this strategy might be promising in developing hierarchical carbons along with sufficient carbon sources for broadening their potential applications.

Efficacy and safety of Shenfu injection for patients with return of spontaneous circulation after sudden cardiac arrest: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the most common critical illnesses encountered in clinical practice. Shenfu injection (SFI) has received extensive attention as an alternative therapy that can effectively maintain the autonomic circulation function after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the mechanism of SFI is not yet fully understood. In addition, there has been no systematic review or meta-analysis of SFI in the treatment of patients with return of spontaneous circulation after SCA. Herein, we describe the protocol of a proposed study based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines that aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of SFI in patients with return of spontaneous circulation after SCA. METHODS: Two researchers will search 9 electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese VIP Information, Wanfang, and Chinese Biomedical Database) to identify all studies that meet the inclusion criteria and were published before July 2018. After information extraction and methodological quality evaluation, we will use Stata 13.0 software (STATA Corporation, College Station, TX, USA) to synthesize the data. The primary outcomes will be the survival rate and Glasgow Coma Scale. RESULTS: The data synthesis results will objectively illustrate the efficacy and safety of SFI in patients with return of spontaneous circulation after SCA. CONCLUSION: The findings will provide a reference for the use of SFI in the treatment of patients with return of spontaneous circulation after SCA. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42018104230).

Effect of various Danshen injections on patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention: A protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have a certain risk of vascular complications, including coronary restenosis and thrombosis. Many recent randomized controlled trials have reported that Danshen injection (DSI) combined with conventional Western medicine can significantly reduce the occurrence of major cardiovascular adverse events in patients with CHD after PCI. However, there are many types of DSIs, and no study has yet compared each type. Therefore, we propose a study protocol for the systematic evaluation of the efficacy of various DSIs in the treatment of CHD after PCI. METHODS: We will search the following electronic databases for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of DSI in patients with CHD after PCI: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Ovid Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biomedicine Literature Database. Each database will be searched from inception to April 2018. The entire process will include study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, pairwise meta-analyses, and network meta-analyses. RESULTS: This proposed study will compare the efficacy of different DSIs in the treatment of patients with CHD after PCI. The outcomes will include major cardiovascular adverse events and left ventricular ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: This proposed systematic review will evaluate the different advantages of various types of DSIs in the treatment of patients with CHD after PCI. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42018092705).

The Effects of a Pulsed Electromagnetic Field on the Proliferation and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.

BACKGROUND A low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has been confirmed to play an important role in promoting the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs). Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) possess some attractive characteristics for clinical application compared to BMSCs, such as abundant stem cells from lipoaspirates, faster growth, less discomfort and morbidity during surgery. ASCs can become adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes, neurocytes, and other cell types. Thus, ASCs might be a good alternative in clinical work involving treatment with PEMF. MATERIAL AND METHODS Human ASCs (hASCs)were divided into a control group (without PEMF exposure) and an experimental group (PEMF for two hours per day). We examined the effect of PEMF on promoting cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation from several aspects: CCK-8 proliferation assay, RNA extraction, qRT-PCR detection, western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining experiments. RESULTS PEMF could promote cell proliferation of human ASCs (hASCs) at an early stage as determined by CCK-8 assay. A specific intensity (1 mT) and frequency (50 Hz) of PEMF promoted osteogenic differentiation in hASCs in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining experiments. In addition, bone-related gene expression increased after two weeks of PEMF exposure, the protein expression of OPN, OCN, and RUNX-2 also increased after a longer period (three weeks) of PEMF treatment as determined by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. CONCLUSIONS We found for the first time that PMEF has a role in stimulating cell proliferation of hASCs at an early period, subsequently promoting bone-related gene expression and inducing the expression of related proteins to stimulate osteogenic differentiation.

Calotropin regulates the apoptosis of non­small cell cancer by regulating the cytotoxic T­lymphocyte associated antigen 4­mediated TGF­ß/ERK signaling pathway.

Non­small­cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common malignancies that is responsible for a high level of cancer­associated mortalities worldwide. Previous evidence has shown that Calotropin is an upstream activator of protein kinase B, which can further inhibit the growth and promote the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. In the present study, the efficacy of Calotropin on growth, aggressiveness and apoptosis of NSCLC cells was investigated, as well as the potential underlying mechanism. The results demonstrated that Calotropin inhibited H358 cell growth, migration and invasion. Flow cytometry assay showed that Calotropin promoted the apoptosis of H358 cells in vitro. Western blot analysis demonstrated that Calotropin inhibited fibronectin (FN), Vimentin (VIM) and E­cadherin (Eca) protein expression levels in H358 cells in vitro. In addition, Calotropin treatment upregulated pro­apoptosis gene expression, including caspase­3, caspase­8 and apoptotic protease activating factor­1, and downregulated anti­apoptosis gene expression, including P53, B­cell lymphoma (Bcl) 2 and Bcl­2­like protein 2 in H358 cells. The results also revealed that the expression levels of cytotoxic T­lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA­4) were decreased by Calotropin treatment in H358 cells. Analyses of the underlying mechanism indicated that Calotropin inhibited transforming growth factor­ß (TGF­ß) and extracellular signal­regulated kinase (ERK) expression. Overexpression of CTLA­4 inhibited Calotropin­mediated downregulation of TGF­ß and ERK expression in H358 cells. In vivo assay revealed that Calotropin administration significantly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged animal survival over the 120­day observation period. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the number of apoptotic cells increased and the expression levels of CTLA­4 were decreased in the Calotropin­treated tumor group when compared with control. In addition, the expression levels of TGF­ß and ERK were downregulated in the Calotropin­treated tumor group compared with control. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that Calotropin administration regulated NSCLC apoptosis by downregulating the CTLA­4­mediated TGF­ß/ERK signaling pathway, suggesting that Calotropin may be a potential anti­cancer agent for the treatment of NSCLC.